Avon Calling...

So my sister Rachael has come up with a business idea for me and then made it happen. I have become the modern day Avon lady! The idea came when her friend Eugenie was saying that she didn't know what of her makeup she should keep and what she should toss and what she could add. She said to Rachael "What I REALLY want is for Rebecca to go through my makeup bag" and this got Rachael's wheels spinning. So she and Eugenie both organized parties and invited around 8 of their friends who attended for a (modest) fee. There was wine, there was cheese, I gave a schpiel and a demo, no big whoop. Then I sat with each woman individually and with a face chart, sorted their makeup bags, made suggestions as to what to add and was ruthless about what to toss. I had my whole kit with me so that I could give very specific product recommendations and the ladies could see for themselves if they liked them. And since I'm not selling anything beyond my service, there was no pressure although I'm pretty sure that there will be a bump in sales at the Westchester and Cold Springs Sephoras in Tarte products since I had a bag of their blushes/cheek stains/lip stains/ etc. that were all the rage. They even have some sparkly lip lusters that are perfect for holiday. I also brought catalogs for companies that are kind of under the makeup retail radar that are great values and not necessarily known outside of the industry. And while I was meeting with the individual ladies the rest of the gang was chatting it up party style. It was a really fun way to spend a Thursday evening for me and hopefully them too!

The one major thing I wanted to convey while I was talking and giving the demo was that I want to change the dialogue when it came to talking about makeup. Too many women said to me 'I want you to help HIDE...' or 'help me CAMOUFLAGE...' or 'I just get INTIMIDATED by makeup' and it bums me out! Makeup isn't chemo! Thank god. It's totally inessential and fun! Sure, makeup can sometimes look funky - so just wash it off! Instead of hiding, HIGHLIGHT! Instead of camouflage, ENHANCE! I once worked with a woman who was wearing neon orange mascara. Was it a look for everyone? Probably not. But was it striking and fun to look at? Yep. Concealer can help you cover a blemish but sometimes my bright pink lipstick simply brightens up my day. Makeup should make you feel better but not because it's covering you up. I think we should all think about what we look to makeup to help us with and then cheer those thoughts up.